


we’re not broken just bent (and we can learn to love again)

by helloFROMhell (Littwink)



Series: written in the scars on our hearts [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depressed Madara is my muse ok, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, I promise, Madara needs some love and validation, fanfic of a fanfic, is that fanfic squared?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 09:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24468415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littwink/pseuds/helloFROMhell
Summary: The scenes behind the drabbles.aka actually fleshed out chapters behind my imaginings of Madara going through with his false engagement to the Shodamie Kazekage. Mainly for Madara feels.
Relationships: Senju Hashirama & Uchiha Madara, Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Madara
Series: written in the scars on our hearts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767385
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	we’re not broken just bent (and we can learn to love again)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Midsummer Night's Deception](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15529302) by [PitchBlackMagpie (xx_dandy)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xx_dandy/pseuds/PitchBlackMagpie). 



> So… Idk if you guys are just that desperate for content (lol), but I would have been content to receive just 3 likes on the drabbles. I mean, it was less than 500 words per chapter, so I was truly amazed and honored by the reception of this miniscule piece. Maybe I’m just leeching you guys off from “A Midsummer’s Night Deception” and the truly amazing craftwork by that author, but hopefully you guys enjoy my own take on this too.
> 
> Also, PitchBlackMagpie has added more chapters since I first started this series. (Please go check them out if you haven’t already! I’d recommend all their fics!!!) For the purpose of this series, these works diverge after Madara leaves Sunagakure.

Madara arrived back at Konoha without warning. He had not sent a letter concerning when he would be arriving back as Konoha never sent a letter to Suna inquiring about him. Not that it would have made much difference with Senju Tobirama up and running; the man had surely noted his imminent arrival when he crossed the Naka at the least. Honestly, he wouldn’t have been surprised if the man’s sensory abilities extended through the entirety of the Land of Fire. Not that it mattered much to him— it meant less work for Madara at the end of things. 

(It certainly didn’t bother Madara that the man appeared to always keep tabs on him. Even though Madara had by all means forfeited his clan to the Senju as Tobirama was a second from ending him. As if Tobirama himself hadn’t been the means to his madness and the reason behind the degradation of his relationship with his clan. To whom could Madara possibly betray their newly formed village? For what? 

He lived purely on the basis of Hashirama’s benevolence, and they both knew it.) 

He wanted to get over the mission briefing, so he went to the Administration tower straight away to hand over the signed treaty. He had walked in from the Mokuton constructed entrance to Konoha without being stopped— no one had the audacity or ability to impersonate Uchiha Madara. And no one wanted the task of stopping Uchiha Madara at the gate. Either way, the guards knew better than to hinder him. 

With a few well placed jumps, Madara easily made it to the tower and climbed through one of the side windows. As he predicted, the Senju brothers were in what was deemed the Hokage’s office. It was clear that they were expecting him as Tobirama leaned on a colonnade with an unimpressed cross of his arms behind Hashirama, who was fiddling with a pen in his seat, and neither twitched. Madara was slightly surprised that the window hadn’t been lethally trapped with the look Tobirama had on. Perhaps, once again, he had been saved by Hashirama’s benignity.

“Madara!” Hashirama immediately stood and made his way to Madara, who had stopped by the window. Before Madara lost his nerve and escaped, Hashirama had tugged him into his grip and started fussing over him. 

“Oh you look so tan! I’m glad you aren’t sunburnt. You seem plumper than when you left— are the animals in Sand really that big? Or were they that accommodating in Sunagakure? Did you like the food there more? We should—”

Madara finally wrenched himself from Hashirama, who had taken to running a diagnostic medical jutsu over him. He acted as if Madara had come straight from a battle and Hashirama was his attending. Hashirama had always been more dramatic when they didn’t see each other for a while, but he had calmed down once he had the ability to bother Madara every day. Madara's stint outside the country appeared to have reset him to the child he was. 

“Stop it with your dramatics,” Madara snapped. “And take this.” Madara forced him to take the rolled parchment that he had kept in his sleeve and made to leave. 

Protests were instant from both Senju present: Hashirama gripped the back of his mantle, which was as equally as expected as the instinctual scoff from Tobirama. 

“You think you’re exempt from briefing protocol, Madara-san?” Tobirama glared at him from where he stood behind the Hokage seat. “I told you he shouldn’t have been sent alone.” 

Madara immediately bristled at the direct attack on his capabilities. It wasn’t unexpected, but Madara had been hoping to leave before Tobirama started in on him. Hashirama moved to grip his shoulders, as if Madara was about to attack his brother. He stiffened. He hadn’t been— he had more control over himself than they always assumed. Nethertheless, the slight circling of Hashirama’s thumbs helped clear his mind, even if Madara was uncomfortable ( _offended, hurt_ ) by the implication. 

That didn’t stop him from spitting out in response. “The mission was a success. I don’t know what else you were expecting, _Tobirama-san,_ but I was raised as a competent shinobi and Clan Leader.”

“He didn’t mean it that way,” Hashirama soothed, always the mediator between the two. “Right, Tobi?”

Tobirama looked away from the doe eyes his brother was undoubtedly sending him, grunting in assent. It was clear to Madara that he agreed purely to avoid Hashirama’s dramatics again. Whatever— Madara had calmed down from the defensiveness that had possessed him at the moment. He was unwilling to start an argument when it was clear what Tobirama thought of him. He just wanted to leave.

Hashirama guided Madara to sit in the chair in front of the Hokage’s desk. Madara briefly wondered what important official they had been hosting beforehand for the chair to have been put in front of the desk. He dismissed it as Hashirama took out the scroll Madara had shoved to him from his sleeve, unravelling it with a flick. Hashirama hummed as he looked over it, Tobirama coming slightly forward to glance behind from where his brother had perched on the desk. 

The Senju brothers both became blank the further they got. Though Hashirama didn’t frown, the furrow in his forehead implied that he wasn’t happy. Tobirama was outright glaring at it, his grip on the table he was leaning on gradually tightening. If Madara was a lesser man, he would have fidgeted in his seat. Surely they realized that the treaty was as good as it would be if they wanted an agreement that wasn’t based on the exploitation of the other? Madara wasn’t sure what they expected for the draft, considering that they had probably assumed that he would have been rebuffed for the first attempt.

“This is…” Hashirama trailed off. 

“Balanced.” Tobirama’s gaze was sharp. Madara curled his hands under his mantle. “Unusually so. What did you do?”

“Tobi!” Hashirama automatically reprimanded him due to the tone he used. Hashirama then switched to Madara. “But really, Madara. This is much more than we were planning to work with them on.” His voice was earnest. “How did you get them to talk with you?” 

Madara pursed his lips. He wasn’t exactly sure what they were implying. (That’s a lie; he knew they had first planned for him to come back unsuccessful, if not stopped at the borders. Even though he had sent a letter informing them that negotiations were taking place, they obviously doubted that anything of significance would have been agreed upon.) “They were open to negotiations. They accommodated me as expected for a consul of a potential ally.”

“Don’t be coy,” Tobirama snapped. He had taken the treaty from Hashirama’s hands, scouring it as if the closer proximity would indicate something new. 

“I don’t see what the issue is. They received me well,” Madara said evenly. Honestly, what nefarious plan did he believe Madara had concocted? Tobirama had only become more incensed at his answer.

Hashirama clearly saw the same, as he cleared his throat and clapped his hands, breaking the tension. “Well,” he said brightly. “Welcome back, Madara! You were dearly missed.”

Madara barely contained the urge to snort at the lie. Knowing that he would be able to leave soon after Hashirama’s brewing soliloquy bettered his mood enough to not respond. Any disbelief he voiced would have Hashirama dogging his heels for the rest of the day. 

“I’m sure you want to freshen up,” Hashirama continued dutifully. “We can discuss the details at tomorrow’s meeting. I’m sure it’ll be easier to recount everything after you settle back in.”

Madara moved to stand from the seat Hashirama pushed him to sit in. 

Tobirama’s gaze zeroed in on the glint that caught his eye. “What is that?” Tobirama directed this towards him flatly. His glower was directed towards Madara’s right hand.

Madara had pushed his hands out of the sleeves of his mantle. He raised his right arm in obliqueness— the diamond ring gleamed even brighter once fully uncovered. He tried for nonchalance. “A promise ring, Senju. Obviously.”

“A _what_.” They stared at his hand as if he was showing off something deformed instead of quality jewelry.

Madara was getting flustered, but he continued onwards. It was the only way he could go. “Reto proposed to me, and I said yes.” He stared out of the office. It was a nice day. Maybe he’d buy lunch at the market. Tsukuyomi knew what was left in his pantry. 

“Reto is...”

“The Shodaime Kazekage, of course.”

“Of course,” Hashirama echoed. He looked thunderstruck. If Madara wasn’t focused on the sound of his heart pumping in his ears, perhaps he would have found it humorous. But he just felt uncomfortable. Even though he had a few days to ponder the implications of the ring on his finger— days spent wondering if he would only ever wear such a ring as a joke— in the end, he had to stand by his decision to go through with the prank. 

“I will be leaving for Sunagakure in two weeks. If you have any documents you want me to forward to Reto, you should plan to have it finished before then.”

Hashirama was aghast. “You didn’t agree to this for the treaty did you?” 

Madara immediately bristled. “You idiot! As if I would make such a hash of a deal.” 

“Then wh-what MADNESS is this?!” Hashirama burst hysterically. “What kind of joke is this??” He tried grabbing the offending hand but Madara slapped him reflexibly, moving away. He briefly imagined jumping out of the Hokage tower, but he knew he had to finish this. 

Instead, he exhaled a breath to keep calm. He would not give the game away so quickly. “I’m not joking, Senju.” 

The chair was askew from where he had pushed it abruptly to move away. Hashirama had stood when trying to grab him. The space between them felt like a chasm even if they were barely an arms width apart. Tobirama hadn’t moved from where he stood from behind the desk, but the parchment that he held in his hand had been dropped, slightly crinkled. Madara didn’t bother to decipher the look on his face, knowing it would be anything but positive.

Madara continued. “This is a personal decision. As stated in our own treaty, this will not affect the Uchiha clan’s placement in Konohagakure. I ask you to respect my decision.” Having said everything he meant to, Madara gave into his instincts and leapt out of the office through a window. Both of the brothers were too stunned to follow him.

Madara sped towards the Uchiha compound, breathing shallowly as he made it back to his empty home. Even though he knew that the briefing could have blown up much more disastrously, he couldn’t help feeling unsatisfied. Disregarding the fact that the whole scene was of his own making, he hadn’t quite prepared for how upsetting it was to be back in Konohagakure. How little anyone trusted him. How everyone was afraid to be in his vicinity. How even Hashirama seemed to be waiting for when he would snap. 

As soon as he took off his traveling mantle, he flopped on the nearest chair. He couldn’t help but regret going through with this farce. It would most likely backfire on him. It wasn’t the first time he thought this, but it was the first time he fully believed that no one would be truly upset if he left. Worried about what he’d do, sure, but not worried _for_ him. Maybe everyone would agree that it would be better if Madara’s inevitable explosion would happen outside of Konoha. Maybe, and Madara almost laughed deliriously from this, they would even warn Suna about his unstableness. Konohagakure couldn’t have their first potential ally imploding due to one of their own. Maybe Madara should be on the look out for assassination attempts from within. Perhaps his own clanmates would even have the task of doing him in. Take care of its own rabid mutt. 

Madara’s chakra must have flared, as the chair he was sitting on shattered. He jumped and automatically braced himself for an attack before he realized what happened, and he couldn’t help but laugh at his own patheticness. His chest felt heavy. He must be sick, he concluded as he rubbed his chest. There must be something wrong with him. He wished he was anywhere but back in Konoha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... if the chapter title wasn’t a big enough hint, please note that this is third person limited. It isn’t as bad as it seems! Some hope after that depressing ending...  
> ( T_T)＼(^-^ )
> 
> I wonder if any of you saw his pessimism/self-hatred beforehand though? And what aspects of the chapter you think are skewed due to Madara’s outlook? Just a thought...

**Author's Note:**

> Any thoughts? Please comment! 
> 
> Or leave kudos if you liked it... Thank you for reading! Kudos to you as well 💕 I hope you enjoyed it!


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